The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to electrical connectors that have opposing electrical contacts configured to engage opposite sides of a conductive component.
In some electrical systems, power is delivered to a circuit board or other electrical component through a busbar and a busbar connector. A busbar typically comprises a planar strip of conductive material (e.g., copper) having opposite sides which are engaged by the busbar connector. Existing busbar connectors include a housing that holds two mating contacts that oppose each other with a space therebetween. When the busbar is inserted into the space, each of the mating contacts electrically engages a corresponding side of the busbar. In some connectors, the mating contacts are configured to adjust if the busbar is inserted into the space in a misaligned manner. For instance, when the busbar is misaligned, the busbar may press against a first mating contact with more force than a second mating contact that opposes the first mating contact. In such cases, the connector may include a mechanism for adjusting the mating contacts within the housing so that both of the mating contacts sufficiently engage the busbar. However, in known busbar connectors that include such adjustment mechanisms, the mating contacts are electrically connected to each other within the connector housing. As such, the mating contacts are electrically common and unable to carry different currents and operate at different voltages.
Accordingly, there is a need for an electrical connector having opposing mating contacts that are electrically independent and that can accommodate a conductive component (e.g., a busbar) which is engaged to the connector in a misaligned manner.